Press release no. 15/2013 of 14. August 2013

Information for blind and visually impaired voters and on barrier-free voting

At the 2013 Bundestag Election, blind and visually impaired persons entitled to vote will be able to cast their votes on their own using ballot paper templates, without the assistance of a confidant. As reported by the Federal Returning Officer, ballot paper templates are provided free of charge by the Land associations of the German Association of Blind and Visually Impaired People (DBSV).

Ballot paper templates have been offered for all of Germany since the 2002 Bundestag Election and the 2004 European Election. The associations of the blind will be reimbursed the costs of template production by the Federal Government.

For orientation purposes, all ballot papers have been punched in the upper right corner, while the upper right corner of the ballot paper template has been cut off. Together with each template, information is supplied on the structure of the template and the ballot paper; that information may be in Braille, on an audio CD, in DAISY format or in large print depending on the Land association. This will enable blind and visually impaired voters to mark their ballot paper on their own in the polling booth on election day or before that day by postal ballot. Those casting their vote at the polling station should however take their ballot paper template home afterwards to ensure the secrecy of the ballot. No difference will be seen on the ballot paper itself.

Without having to be a member of an association of the blind, persons wishing to vote with the help of a ballot paper template may order such template via

• the DBSV hotline for all of Germany, +49 1805 666456 (0.14 euros/min. from the German fixed line network), which will automatically connect the caller with the Land association responsible, or
• directly from the DBSV Land associations listed at the end of this press release.

Barrier-free access to the polling station is particularly important for voters with limited mobility. Each voter’s notification states whether or not access to the polling station is barrier-free and where information can be obtained on barrier-free polling stations and aids. If access to the polling station is not barrier-free, the voter may apply for a polling card to be issued so that he or she can vote in another, barrier-free polling station of the constituency. As a matter of course, it is also possible to cast the vote by postal ballot. More information is given on the polling card and the postal ballot instruction sheet, which is provided together with the postal ballot documents.

People who are not able to read, have only inadequate reading skills or, due to a physical impairment, are not in a position to mark the ballot paper on their own, to fold it or put it in the ballot box, may be assisted by another person at the polling station or in postal voting. The voter may choose anyone as a helper, for instance a member of the electoral board. That person may enter the polling booth together with the voter if this is necessary to provide the required assistance. However, the helper must only fulfil the wishes of the voter and is obliged to keep his or her knowledge of the person’s vote confidential.

Upon request, the following DBSV Land associations will provide blind and visually impaired voters with free ballot paper templates:

For further information:
Office of the Federal Returning Officer
tel: +49 611 75-4863
www.bundeswahlleiter.de/contact